Senator Dino Melaye has urged the Kogi State Government to take immediate responsibility for the killings of three citizens of Ayetoro-Kiri in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, who were among 37 people abducted from an ECWA church on December 14, 2025.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the former lawmaker called the situation a major failure by state and federal officials.
He stated that the Okun people, who are taxpayers, will not remain mute if the deaths and abductions continue.
“The Kogi State Government must take responsibility. The death of three Ayetoro-Kiri indigenes will and should be taken seriously. There are no decisive and pragmatic approaches from state and federal governments,” Melaye wrote.
He warned that if the government did not intervene, citizens would protest. “We as Okun people are taxpayers and should not be abandoned.
“We will organize the kind of protest that police cannot stop if the stealing and killing of our people continue,” he said.
The former senator further demanded that the government act immediately to rescue those still in captivity.
“We want to see deliberate, organized, and working efforts to secure and recover our people. Enough is enough,” he added.
David Ampitan, the community spokesperson, confirmed the deaths on Saturday, describing the incident as part of the area’s long-running security crisis.
According to him, only seven of the abducted victims were released after paying a ransom. According to reports, the victims were discovered dead when they arrived at hospital facilities, with four others in critical condition. About 30 people are still in custody, their fate unclear.
Ampitan also criticized the government’s response to nonviolent protests by community members calling for the return of their loved ones.
